I can honestly say I never expected to write that headline… Coming into the game on Sunday, the Bills were 13.5 point favorites (largest ever in a postseason game) and Miami was forced to start a 3rd string rookie QB on the road. Things started out just like we all thought it would… Buffalo jumped out to a commanding 17-0 lead early into the second quarter with Josh Allen, Diggs & Gabe Davis all looking like how we expected them to look come playoff time. But things quickly shifted in the game (in my opinion) on Buffalo’s second drive in the second quarter… Miami had just kicked a field goal to make the game 17-3, then on a 1st & 10 from basically midfield… Josh Allen would try and hit a deep ball to John Brown but the pass would be intercepted by Xavien Howard (a crazy over the shoulder INT) who would return it almost 50 yards (basically where the Bills original line of scrimmage was). Much to the credit of the Bills defense, Miami was stopped on a three and out… But Mike McDaniel would decide to go for it on fourth down and 8. Buffalo had the play defended nicely and Skylar Thompson was forced to hit his check down, RB Wilson, (who was WELL short of the first down) who made First Team All-Pro LB Matt Milano miss an open field tackle and he would pick up the first down. Miami would still ultimately have to settle for a field goal but would cut into the Bills lead even more, making it 17-6. Buffalo would go 3 and out on their next possession… After a great punt return by Miami to set themselves up deep into Buffalo territory to start, they would be forced to settle for another field goal making the score 17-9. The next Bills possession would end in disaster as WR Cole Beasley would bobble a pass and the ball would wind up in Jevon Holland’s waiting hands, giving Miami the ball right away inside the redzone. This time, Miami would capitalize fully as Skylar Thompson would hit Mike Gesicki on a 7 yard TD pass (2-point conversion good) and this game would be tied up at 17 with 37 seconds remaining in the first half. Josh Allen would be able to drive the Bills into field goal range within that time and Tyler Bass would hit a 39-yard field goal to give the Bills a 20-17 halftime lead.
Miami would receive the second half kick but would go 3 and out and give the ball to Buffalo. On the Bills first play from scrimmage, Josh Allen is strip sacked and Zach Sieler of Miami would return the fumble for a touchdown, giving Miami a 23-20 LEAD. Both teams would trade punts before the Bills would intercept Skylar Thompson for the second time in the game, this time by rookie Kaiir Elam (first Bills rookie with a INT in his first postseason game since 2000). Buffalo would take over at the Miami 33-yard line and would end up in the endzone in just 5 plays (Josh Allen to Cole Beasley 6-yard pass). Buffalo back out in front 27-24. The Dolphins would have to punt on their next possession and Buffalo would ride the momentum of their previous drive and end up in the endzone once again (Josh Allen to Gabe Davis 23-yard pass), giving Buffalo a 34-24 lead. Miami would start out the fourth quarter by answering back with a touchdown of their own, and we would end up at the score of 34-31. Buffalo’s defense would tighten up and hold Miami to secure the win. Buffalo will now host the 3 seeded Cincinnati Bengals next Sunday afternoon (1/22) at 3:00 est. Buffalo currently has opened up as a 4-point home favorite.
My takeaway from the game… The offense (despite scoring 34 points) is concerning. In my opinion, a lot has to do with the play calling… OC Ken Dorsey made a handful of very questionable play calls in the fourth quarter yesterday (not running the football while nursing the lead as one big example). Buffalo’s running backs have shown that they can be dynamic in this offense if used (James Cook scored Buffalo’s second TD of this game on a 12-yard run). The Bills also had a handful of CRUTIAL drops in this game as well. Dawson Knox dropped a pretty routine TD pass that ended up with the Bills having to settle for a field goal, Khalil Shakir dropped a 50 yard bomb that would’ve set the Bills up to at least be in field goal range… That right there is a difference of 7-points. There was also the Cole Beasley drop/bobbled pass that Miami would intercept and end up scoring a TD on… Things like that will be disastrous come Sunday when they will be playing a team that was the AFC representative in the Super Bowl just last season.
-Jason Harris